Effect of Integrated Plant Nutrition and Irrigation Scheduling On Growth, Yield and Radiation Use Efficiency of Hybrid Maize (Zea mays L.).

Effect of irrigation schedules and integrated plant nutrition on hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) was studied on sandy clay loam soil at the Agronomic Research, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan during 2009 and 2010. Three irrigation schedules (Four irrigations, Five irrigations and Six irrigations) and seven Integrated plant nutrition levels (Control, 125-60-62 kg N-P₂O₅-_-K₂O ha^-1, 125-60-62 kg N-P₂O_5--K₂O ha^-1 + Farm yard manure @ 15 t ha^-1, 125-60-62 kg N-P₂O_5--K₂O ha^-1 + Farm yard manure @ 10 t ha^-1, 250-120-125 kg N-P₂O₅-_-K₂O ha^-1, 250-120-125 kg N-P₂O₅-_-K₂O ha^-1 + Farm yard manure @ 15 t ha^-1 and 250-120-125 kg N-P₂O₅-_-K₂O ha^-1 + Farm yard manure @ 10 t ha^-1) were studied during the course of study. Among the agronomic traits, plant height, number of grains cob^-1, 1000-grain weight and harvest index were significantly affected by irrigation schedules and integrated plant nutrition levels during both years. The crop applied with six irrigations and fertilized by integrated application of chemical fertilizers (250-120-125 kg N-P₂O₅-_-K₂O ha^-1) and farmyard manure @ 15 t ha^-1 produced the highest grain yield of 8.47 t ha^-1 and 8.22 t ha^-1 in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Application of six irrigations improved all the physiological traits over five and four irrigations. All the nutrient levels significantly increased LAI and  crop growth rate (CGR), over control and application of 250-120-125 kg N-P₂O₅-_-K₂O ha^-1 + FYM @ 15 t ha^-1  was found to be superior to all other nutrient levels. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) increased significantly by increasing number of irrigations from four to six and by increasing levels of plant nutrition. In case of integrated plant nutrition levels, there was a significant decrease in radiation use efficiency from higher to lower plant nutrition levels, as the highest (1.6054 g MJ^-1 in 2009 and 1.5920 g MJ^-1 in 2010).

 

Key words: Maize, Irrigation scheduling, Integrated plant nutrition, Radiation use efficiency,